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Christmas: Gingerbread Cookies

Source of Recipe

From "Christmas 101" by Rick Rodgers


Recipe Introduction

"It took me many batches to finally master the perfect gingerbread cookie. When the dough is rolled thin, it will bake crisp and almost crackerlike. Yet when rolled thick (my preference), the cookies turn out plump and moist. In either case, the flavor will be complex and slightly hot-spicy. I use large gingerbread cookies as place cards for my holiday dinner table, with the guests' names written onto them, and everyone gets to take theirs home (if they don't nibble them with their coffee after dinner)."

List of Ingredients

◦ 3 cups all-purpose flour
◦ 1 teaspoon baking soda
◦ � teaspoon ground cinnamon
◦ � teaspoon ground ginger
◦ � teaspoon ground allspice
◦ � teaspoon ground cloves
◦ � teaspoon salt
◦ � teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
◦ 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
◦ � cup vegetable shortening
◦ � cup packed light brown sugar
◦ ⅔ cup unsulfured molasses
◦ 1 large egg
◦ Royal Icing (recipe follows)


Recipe

Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350� F.

Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt, and pepper through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set at high speed, beat the butter and vegetable shortening until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses and egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into two thick disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (The dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)

To roll out the cookies, work with one disk at a time, keeping the other disk refrigerated. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until just malleable enough to roll out without cracking, about 10 minutes. (If the dough has been chilled for longer than 3 hours, it may need a few more minutes.) Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough ⅛ inch thick, making sure that the dough isn't sticking to the work surface (run a long metal spatula under the dough occasionally just to make sure, and dust the surface with more flour if needed). For softer cookies, roll out slightly thicker. Using cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and transfer to cookie sheets lined with nonstick baking pads, placing the cookies 1 inch apart. Gently knead the scraps together and form into another disk. Wrap and chill for 5 minutes before rolling out again to cut out more cookies.

Bake, switching the position of the cookie sheets from top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking, until the edges of the cookies are set and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate with Royal Icing. (The cookies can be made up to 1 week ahead, stored in airtight containers at room temperature.)

Makes about 3 dozen cookies





❧ Royal Icing:

"This icing hardens into shiny white lines, and is the one to use for piping decorations onto gingerbread people or other cookies. Traditional royal icing calls for raw egg whites, but as dried egg white powder is available at most supermarkets these days, I prefer it to avoid any consternation about uncooked whites."

◦ 1 pound (4 � cups) confectioners' sugar
◦ 2 tablespoons dried egg white powder

In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set at low speed, beat the confectioners' sugar, egg white powder, and 6 tablespoons water until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until very stiff, shiny, and thick enough to pipe, 3 to 5 minutes. (The icing can be made up to 2 days ahead, stored in an airtight container with a moist paper towel pressed directly on the icing surface, and refrigerated.)

To pipe line decorations, use a pastry bag fitted with a small writing tip about ⅛ inch wide, such as Ateco Number 7. It may be too difficult to squeeze the icing out of smaller tips. If necessary, thin the icing with a little warm water.

To fill the pastry bag, first fit it with the tube. Fold the top of the bag back to form a cuff, and hold it in one hand. Using a rubber spatula, scoop the icing into the bag. Unfold the cuff and twist the top of the bag closed. Squeeze the icing down to fill the tube. Always practice on a sheet of waxed paper or aluminum foil to check the flow and consistency of the icing.

Makes about 2 cups,
enough for about 4 dozen cookies






� Traditional Royal Icing:
Substitute 3 large egg whites for the egg white powder and water.